The Howard County sixth grader competing in the final rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee made it into the top 15 spellers before stumbling in the eighth round.
Saketh Sundar, 11, from Elkridge, Md., spells his word during the finals of the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee, in Oxon Hill, Md., Thursday, June 1, 2017. Sundar was eliminated after misspelling his word.
(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
Saketh Sundar, 11, from Elkridge, Md., jumps in the air after correctly spelling “valetudinary” during the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 31, 2017. The first National Spelling Bee was held in 1925 and put on hold during World War II.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
AP Photo/Cliff Owen
Tejas Muthusamy, 14, of Glen Allen, Va., right, is congratulated by fellow finalists including Melodie Loya, 12, of Bainbridge, N.Y., left, after Muthusamy spelled a word correctly during the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Thursday, June 1, 2017.
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Grant Taylor, 14, of Lubbock, Texas, concentrates as he spells his word in the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Thursday, June 1, 2017.
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Tejas Muthusamy, 14, of Glen Allen, Va., spells his word in the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Thursday, June 1, 2017.
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Sreeniketh Vogoti, 14, from Saint Johns, Fla., right, celebrates with his fellow spellers after spelling his word correctly during the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee, Thursday, June 1, 2017, in Oxon Hill, Md.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Melodie Loya, 12, from Bainbridge, N.Y., uses her hand as and imaginary paper and pen to spell her word during the finals of the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee, Thursday, June 1, 2017, in Oxon Hill, Md.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Varad Mulay, 13, from Novi, Mich., reacts after spelling his word during the finals of the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee, Thursday, June 1, 2017, in Oxon Hill, Md.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Erin Howard, 12, from Huntsville, Ala., left and Melodie Loya, 12, from Bainbridge, N.Y., right, react after spelling during the finals of the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee, Thursday, June 1, 2017, in Oxon Hill, Md.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Will Rooke, 13, from Deephaven, Minn., jumps off the stage after the second round of the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, May 31, 2017, in Oxon Hill, Md.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD — MAY 31: The trophy is on display as students wait for their turns to compete in round two of 2017 Scripps National Spelling Bee at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center May 31, 2017 in National Harbor, Maryland. Close to 300 spellers are competing in the annual spelling contest for the top honor this year.
(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON — The Howard County sixth grader competing in the final rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee made it into the top 15 spellers before stumbling in the eighth round on the word “tules.”
Saketh Sundar, 11, who attends Mayfield Woods Middle School in Elkridge, Maryland, was the only D.C.-area local to advance to the final rounds of the annual spelling bee.
The word tules describes land dominated by bulrushes or cattails.
The 2017 spelling bee champion is 12-year-old Ananya Vinay of Fresno, California, who correctly spelled “marocain” — a dress fabric made from silk or rayon — in the 36th round.
It’s the first time a solo winner has been declared since 2013 after a series of back-to-back ties in recent years.
Along with bragging rights, Vinay takes home $40,000 cash, an engraved trophy, a $2,500 savings bond, $400 worth of reference works and appearances on “LIVE with Kelly and Ryan” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
The last (and only) time a local won the bee was in 1984, when 13-year-old Daniel Greenblatt, from Sterling, Virginia, took home the trophy with “luge.”
Jack Moore joined WTOP.com as a digital writer/editor in July 2016. Previous to his current role, he covered federal government management and technology as the news editor at Nextgov.com, part of Government Executive Media Group.
